GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota women's hockey team was picked fifth in the USCHO.com Division I Preseason Poll.
Defending national champion Minnesota starts the 2012-13 season as the top-ranked team receiving all 15 first-place votes.
National runner-up Wisconsin sits second, followed by Cornell, Boston College and UND to round out the top five.
Boston University, St. Lawrence, Minnesota Duluth, Northeastern and Mercyhurst are ranked 6-10, respectively, in the preseason poll.
North Dakota opens its season at the Ralph Engelstad Arena on Oct. 5-6 with a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series against Minnesota State, Mankato.
USCHO.com Poll
| Team (First Place) | Record | Points | Last Week | |
| 1 | Minnesota (15) | 34-5-2 | 150 | NR |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 33-5-2 | 128 | NR |
| 3 | Cornell | 30-5-0 | 109 |
NR |
| 4 | Boston College | 24-10-3 | 105 | NR |
| 5 | North Dakota | 22-12-3 | 93 | NR |
| 6 | Boston University | 23-14-1 | 67 | NR |
| 7 | St. Lawrence | 24-10-4 | 41 | NR |
| 8 | Minnesota Duluth | 21-14-1 | 33 | NR |
| 9 | Northeastern | 22-7-4 | 30 | NR |
| 10 | Mercyhurst | 23-8-3 | 29 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Harvard 28, Clarkson 6, Providence 3, Quinnipiac 2, Robert Morris 1.
